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After Your Fibromyalgia Diagnosis: Why Did You End A 20-Year Marriage?

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Sue explains why she chose to end her 20-year marriage after her fibromyalgia diagnosis.

Sue:
I think it was the age. It was turning 50 and saying to myself, “If I don’t do this now I am never going to do it.” Also, trying to figure out how I was going to support myself because I was sick. I was collecting disability. That’s how sick I was, but it wasn’t enough for me to live on. We had a pretty good lifestyle and once I started talking to my friends and I actually did go and consult an attorney to see what my options were, and I found out that I could get, because I had been married for so long I was eligible for spousal support for ‘x’ amount of years and I realized that with everything that I could do and maybe I could start getting a part time job because even though I was 50 and I said I was well I wasn’t totally well at that point.

So, I realized that I could get enough money to make it on my own and I think that’s a concern that a lot of women have is, “How am I going to make it?” For most it’s because they have children that they are raising and they are a full-time mom. For me, my career was over and I had to think about, “How am I going to support myself?” Because I had been so sick, and once the financial thing came together it made me a lot stronger and realized that it was time to leave. I had tried three or four times before, but this time was really the time to go.

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Anonymous

That's great that she found a solution that will allow her to still benefit financially through her spousal support monies. Does anyone have a story to share where they are successfully, completely supporting themselves on their own (single income) without marriage benefits (financial or health benefits)?
I've never been married and can't afford to go on disabilty as I would be unable to support myself on disability. As a single woman and needing to keep my full time job to make a living while struggling with Fibromyalgia, I'm searching for solutions.

January 1, 2011 - 9:11pm
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